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Board of Directors May 12, 2021

Chairman Honorable Nydia Velazquez Peter van Berkel Chairwoman Travalco USA House Committee on Small Business Vice Chairman Washington, DC20515 Gerrit DeVos AmericanTours Dear Chairwoman Velazquez: International

Secretary We represent inbound tour operators based in New York City and across the country, Lena Ross who promote international travel and tourism to New York and the U.S. They facilitate America 4 You inbound travel services for both independent and group travelers with their business partners - international tour operators, corporate travel buyers and travel agents. Treasurer They provide everything from hotel bookings to full-service itineraries that include Makiko Healy accommodations, transportation, dining, and attractions. NYC & Company

Past Chairman These inbound tour companies have been without any business since the federally- Gary Schluter mandated shutdown in March 2020. While some domestic travel may have begun to RMH Tours pick up, there has not been a single international traveler visiting the U.S. through the travel trade. Directors Oswaldo Freitas Easy Time Travel The inbound travel sector produces a positive trade balance, in fact the largest portion of the positive trade equation. Every dollar generated by international Richard Groesz visitation goes 100% to exports to the benefit of the U.S. in terms of jobs, economic American Ring Travel impact, and balance of trade. We should note that New York is the number one destination visited by international travelers when visiting America, and inbound tour Gloria Lan operators drive international business to other travel and hospitality sectors, like Tour America hotels and restaurants. Elliot Calloway Bonotel Exclusive We seek your assistance in seeing that two bills HR 1757, sponsored by Travel Representative of New York, and HR 2120, sponsored by Representatives of , of Florida, Dina Titus of Paul Mason Nevada, and of New Jersey, are reported out of your committee for a Wyndham Hotels and floor vote as part of any additional stimulus actions. Resorts

Petra Hackworth These bills provide more resources for SVOGs and specifically make it possible that Travel Oregon companies like inbound tour operators are eligible, which is the purpose of HR 2120. Like live venues, theaters, museums and others currently eligible for SVOGs, Letizia Sirtori inbound tour operators (the vast majority of which are small businesses) have been Destination DC completely shut down since March 2020 when international travel bans and lockdowns first went into effect. We should note, we promote and sell live venues, Karen Pitcherello Mears Transportation theaters, museums and other attractions to our international partners.

Malcolm Smith Our New York members are willing to visit one of your New York offices or do a US Travel Association Zoom meeting with your DC office staff for further discussion. Or we can bring together inbound operators from around the U.S. to meet with the committee majority Richard Kerekes staff. Gray Line/ CitySightseeing

+1 (859) 955-9098 / [email protected] / www.inboundtravel.org 2

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You may reach either of us at [email protected] or 859-955-9098. You will also find contact information for our New York-member co-signers below. Thank you.

Best regards,

Peter van Berkel Lisa Simon Chair CEO

The below organizations, as inbound operators and other members of the International Inbound Travel Association, support the above request.

Fred Dixon, CEO NYC & Company New York, NY [email protected] (212) 484 1248

Yves Fore, Vice President, Sales & Operations America & Beyond – Corporate Office New Windsor, NY / Miami, FL [email protected] 347-578-1931

Nick Hentschel, Chief Operating Officer AmericanTours International, LLC New York, NY / Los Angeles, CA [email protected] (310) 590 4127

Joel Cohen, General Manager Beyond Times Square New York, NY [email protected] (212) 564-1001 / (646) 240-4098

Jordi Zarroca, Founder/Managing Director Cosmopolitan Incentives New York, NY [email protected] (347) 563-2946

Mamoru Tanaka CUEINTL NY INC New York, NY [email protected] (212) 869-0050

+1 (859) 955-9098 / [email protected] / www.inboundtravel.org 3

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Armindo Ferreira, Managing Director EMI GLOBAL USA New York, NY [email protected] (973) 519-2524

Andrew Luan, CEO ExperienceFirst New York, NY [email protected] 917-868-7011

Michael Marzano, Managing Director FM Tours Orlando, Florida [email protected] 407-895-5634

Gay Vetri, Head of Hotel Contracting, North America G2 Travel New York, NY [email protected] Tel: 1-646-828-9768

Stephan Forget, President Go West Tours New York, NY / San Francisco, CA [email protected] (415) 837 0154 ext 118

Erika Elisabeth, Vice President Harlem Spirituals / New York Visions New York NY 10036 [email protected] (917) 662 7931

Hiroshi Harano, Manager Planning/Contracting HIS International Tours. New York NY [email protected] (212) 338-0020

Masakazu "Osho" Nakafuji, General Manager JTB USA, Inc. Jersey City, NJ [email protected] (310) 318-4575

+1 (859) 955-9098 / [email protected] / www.inboundtravel.org 4

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Rich SUN, Chief Executive Officer Jupiter Legend Corporation | Universal Vision Flushing, NY [email protected] (212) 334-4222 ex.999 / (917) 658-1979

Stephen Yo Kintetsu International America Company New York, NY [email protected] (212) 259-9723

Muriel Samama, President Maven DMC New York, NY [email protected] (212) 391-7318

Peter Dorner, President & CEO New World Travel New York, NY [email protected] 212-754-9100

Suzi Steiger, President RMP Travel Inc Atlantic Beach, NY 11509 [email protected] (212) 581-8051 / (917) 596-5200

Vincenzo Perretta, CEO TeamAmerica, Inc New York, NY (347) 203-6057 [email protected]

Eiji Murakami, Owner TEE CREATIONS INC. New York, NY (347) 558-0773 [email protected]

Gloria Lan, CEO Tour America, LLC. New York, NY / Los Angeles, CA [email protected] (213) 683 1188

+1 (859) 955-9098 / [email protected] / www.inboundtravel.org 5

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Roger Meier, Manager Groups & Incentives Visit America, Inc. New York, NY [email protected] (646) 256-3175

Vincenzo Perretta CEO VOLATOUR Inc New York, NY (347) 203-6057 [email protected]

Bruno Garcia, CEO Vou Para New York, Inc 566 7th Avenue suite 802 New York, NY - 10018 [email protected] 646-744-4125

Marita Ross, Owner/Director America 4 You L.L.C. Fullerton, CA [email protected] (714) 447-3826

Shunsuke (Sean) Komiya, Manager America Travel Factory, LLC. Los Angeles, CA [email protected] (213) 216-9978 (Cell)

Diego Pereyra, President American Executive International Miami, FL 33131 [email protected] (305) 532 7375

Richard Groesz, Director of Contracting - West American Ring Travel Inc Valencia, CA / Oakland, FL [email protected] (661) 200 6304

Oswaldo Freitas, Managing Director Easy Time Travel LLC Windermere, FL [email protected] (407) 569 9495

+1 (859) 955-9098 / [email protected] / www.inboundtravel.org 6

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Keith Snode, Chief Operating Officer Kaleidoscope Adventures Winter Garden, FL [email protected] (800) 774 7337 / M: (517) 414 1637

Adam Rogers, Chief Executive Officer Meeting Point North America Orlando, FL [email protected] (407) 345 5119

Ken Sudo, General Manager Nippon Travel Agency America Inc Secaucus, NJ [email protected] 201-325-8484

Tereza C. Reis, President Personal RGE Tours & Travel Orlando, FL 32835 [email protected] (407) 370 2882

Chris Pilley, CEO Rocky Mountain Holiday Tours Fort Collins, CO [email protected] (970) 482 5813

Emmanuelle Vaugeois, Owner Scenic roads , NV [email protected] (702) 337 1210

Jiaojiao Zhang, CEO T.E.LLC – Travelers Enterprise Fairfax, VA [email protected] (703) 973-1790

Julie Katz, Managing Director TourMappers North America Boston, MA [email protected] (617) 236 1236 / Cell: (617) 921 6948

+1 (859) 955-9098 / [email protected] / www.inboundtravel.org 7

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Pabs Raghava, CEO Tours Limited Duluth, GA [email protected] (770) 289 8555

Peter van Berkel, President Travalco Miami, FL [email protected] (786) 236-8567

Robert Miller. Esq., President/Owner TravelAdvocates Hoboken, NJ [email protected] 201-222-1990 x200

+1 (859) 955-9098 / [email protected] / www.inboundtravel.org